Prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors among professional male long–distance bus drivers in Lagos, south–west Nigeria: a cross–sectional study

BACKGROUND: Professional drivers are known to be at high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study was carried out to highlight these risk factors and their predictors among male long–distance professional bus drivers in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, with a view to improving health awareness in this group. METHODS: Socio–demographic data, anthropometric indices, blood pressure, fasting plasma blood glucose levels and lipid and physical activity profiles of 293 drivers were measured. RESULTS: Mean age of the study population was 48 ± 9.7 years; 71.0 and 19.5% of the drivers used alcohol and were smokers, respectively; and 50.9% were physically inactive. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 41.7 and 21.1%, respectively, while 39.7 and 13.9% were hypertensive and diabetic, respectively. Ninety (31.3%) subjects had impaired fasting glucose levels while 56.3% had dyslipidaemia. Predictors of hypertension were age and body mass index (BMI). BMI only was a predictor of abnormal glucose profile. CONCLUSION: Professional male long–distance bus drivers in this study showed a high prevalence of a cluster of risk factors for CVD.